There are known in the prior art devices which receive bills such as currency notes which are examined for authenticity and if genuine are accepted, and in return for which change may be given or articles or services provided. Associated with these bill acceptors are bill stacker devices which are adapted to receive bills from the acceptor and to arrange them in a relatively compact stack until the stacker reaches its capacity. One such bill stacker is illustrated in Okkonen et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,260, issued Nov. 4, 1975.
In most instances, bill handling apparatus of the type just described is installed at an unattended location, normally behind the locked door of a merchandising machine or the like. At timed intervals a service person visits the location to service the machine and to remove whatever money has been accepted by the machine and return it to the home office. It is of course desirable that this operation be carried out in as simple and expeditious as well as safe method as is possible. To that end, it is desirable that the cash receptacle be readily removable from the remainder of the bill acceptor structure. It is further desirable that the bill acceptor cash box be automatically locked against access to the bills therein upon its removal from the acceptor. In this way dishonest persons will not have access to the notes which have been collected. It is further desirable that the bill acceptor be disabled when the stacker box is not in operative position with relation thereto.